CMAAA Deepens Sino–African Exchange through Sichuan TCM Study Programme

Johannesburg | 8 December 2025

Under the guidance of the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, an outstanding student delegation of the Jinyi Silk Road Award, recommended and organised by the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Africa (CMAAA), visited Chengdu, China, from 17–21 November to participate in the programme “Studying Traditional Chinese Medicine in Sichuan – Jinyi Silk Road: Advanced Training on Distinctive Sichuan School TCM Techniques for Outstanding South African Students.”

The visit formed part of CMAAA’s ongoing commitment to promoting academic exchange and capacity building in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) between China and Africa. The delegation was led by Professor Zijing Hu, President of CMAAA and Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Representatives from the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Chengdu Municipal Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Chengdu Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital attended the opening ceremony.

In his keynote address, Mr. Mi Yinjun, Deputy Director of the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, highlighted Sichuan’s position as a “birthplace of TCM and a rich repository of Chinese medicinal resources.” He expressed Sichuan’s strong willingness to share the clinical experience, technical strengths, and innovative achievements of the Sichuan School of TCM with international learners. He noted that the arrival of South African students marked an important step in bringing Sichuan TCM to the global stage and in developing a “Sichuan model” for international TCM talent cultivation.

Following the opening ceremony, Professor Hu delivered the first academic lecture entitled “One Case, One Clinical Strategy: Therapeutic Reasoning in the Treatment of Juexin Pain.” Drawing on his extensive clinical practice in South Africa, he demonstrated how TCM diagnostic and treatment principles are applied in diverse cultural and medical contexts. Professor Hu emphasised that public acceptance of TCM in South Africa continues to grow, creating favourable conditions for its broader integration into local healthcare systems.

During the training programme, South African participants engaged in intensive learning activities at Chengdu Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, covering acupuncture, tuina, syndrome differentiation, and distinctive Sichuan herbal preparations. Clinical observation sessions and hands-on training allowed participants to interact directly with Chinese physicians and gain deeper insight into real-world practice.

The delegation expressed high appreciation for Sichuan’s strong TCM cultural environment and well-established clinical teaching system. Participants noted that the precision of syndrome differentiation, diversity of techniques, and proven clinical efficacy of Sichuan TCM offer valuable reference points for the development of TCM education and practice in Africa.

The CMAAA reaffirmed that this visit represents a significant milestone in strengthening Sino–African collaboration in traditional medicine. Looking ahead, CMAAA will continue to utilise platforms such as the Jinyi Silk Road Award to support African students and practitioners in engaging with Chinese institutions, fostering the localisation and sustainable development of TCM across the African continent.